As you know by know, by attending RVAs3c you are getting a lot of amazing things already, as well some great giveaways at the sponsor tables. We have heard rumors that our friends at Sunera have WiFi Pineapple Mark V Tactical Bundle 6800 mAh and Risk Based Security has an HD Video Camera Spy Pen to raffle off.

What you don’t know is that we are also doing a Passport For Prizes this year!

Each attendee will receive a Passport at registration. If you want to play, then you must visit each sponsor table and obtain a signature or stamp on your Passport–you must complete the entire Passport (including contact information) in order to be eligible for the prize drawings, which will be held at the reception on Friday (sponsored by TruShield). You must be present at the reception to win.

What can you win?
-Exclusive RVAsec Speaker Bag provided by richSEC. We can’t tell you anymore about it, except for it is EPIC.

– Not just one, but two “Mystery Bags Of Shit” provided by richSEC(in honor of Jericho – this prize also comes with peer pressure to blog about the contents!).

After the reception is over on Friday, walk from the hotel to Friday Cheers. A Richmond tradition with bands, beer and food! Only costs a few dollars to get in and is a great time! On June 6th, Futurebirds (8 p.m.) and Spirit Family Reunion (6:30 p.m.). Cost: $5

Visit the Edgar Allan Poe Museum on 1914-16 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23223. Illustrations of the famous poem “The Raven” and numerous other artifacts surrounding the life of this great American author, the father of the psychological horror story, are housed in a series of buildings, including Richmond’s oldest.

One of America’s most beautiful boulevards, tree-lined Monument Avenue is the only street in the United States that is a National Historic Landmark.

Hollywood Cemetery is a tranquil cemetery, perched above the James River rapids, and contains the grave sites of two US presidents (James Monroe and John Tyler), the only Confederate president (Jefferson Davis) and 18,000 Confederate soldiers. Free walking tours are given at 10am, Monday through Saturday.

The Richmond region has more Civil War & Emancipation sites than anywhere else in the nation if you want to visit some battle fields!

Check out the cobblestone streets and alleyways called Shockoe Slipfor drinking and food!

Richmond Bacon Fest returns on June 8th for another big day of bacon and craft beer at the 17th Street Farmer’s Market. Over 40 Richmond restaurants and food trucks will offer their take on their own favorite bacon-centric dishes.

We are pleased to announce that RVAs3c 2014 is now sold out and we look forward to a great event! In the coming days we will provide some additional information about the conference to everyone registered.

There are still spots remaining for training classes and registration will remain open until 11:55 PM Eastern time today!

Hey, RVASec! I’m Schuyler, physical security guy, lockpicker, researcher, etc. I’ve been very honored to run trainings at RVASec the past 2 years, and while I feel confident that I’ve been able to bring a lot of material and hands-on experience to folks who took my classes, this year I’m trying to take a big leap forward.

While we will still be covering the traditional skills of lockpicking, this year’s class will use lock forensics as a scaffolding for teaching those concepts. I’ll be bringing my DSLR Microscope setup where we can collectively inspect the evidence left behind by various methods of entry live to the projector. Each entry technique will be explained in depth, then carried out by every attendee on locks provided to them. Once the concept is understood and successfully executed, we’ll open one of the locks under the microscope to see the tool marks left behind.

Each student will be trained in how to properly handle, disassemble and inspect their locks using plastic tweezers, plastic pinning trays, proper logging, and high def microscopy. The conclusion of the class will involve each student leading the class through the inspection of a mystery lock that will have been given to them at the start of the course. They will mount the specimens for everyone to see, provide analysis of the markings, and give a determination of the method of entry. The answer will have been previously provided to them in a sealed envelope. Think of it as a geekier murder mystery party.

At the end of the course students will understand and have practical experience with several methods of entry, including percussive attacks, basic picking and raking, and impressioning of cylinders. They will also have a strong foundation in the principles of lock forensics, from how to handle the lock, to tool mark analysis, to reporting their findings. I’ve been preparing for this course for years, and I’m incredibly excited to bring it to RVASec. I hope to see you there!